If you are looking for a small indoor grill to cook food for a couple of people, you have come to the right place. Choosing between the dozens or even hundreds of options is not easy, but this is what we are here to help with.
Let’s get to it and look at the top 7 contenders for the best small indoor grill. We’ll also be providing buying tips and answering frequently asked questions about indoor grills.
Best Small Indoor Grill: Reviews
Cuisinart GR-300WSP1 Elite Griddler
This multifunctional and high-tech indoor grill comes at a reasonable price.
Review
Cuisinart’s GR-300WSP1 Elite Griddler features a 240-square-inch cooking surface, which is relatively spacious, considering the overall unit is quite compact. It measures 14.65 by 16.22 by 8.11 inches, making it relatively small and able to fit on any countertop or in a kitchen cupboard.
This model has many functions and comes with different cooking plates to suit those functions. You can use it as a contact grill, a Panini press, a full or half griddle, a half or full grill, and a top melt.
The nonstick cooking plates, including the grill and griddle plates, make cleanup and cooking easier; they’re also dishwasher safe.
In addition, this unit can sear meat at 500° Fahrenheit for up to two minutes at a time, which is quite impressive. It features 300 watts of power, enough for most functions, although admittedly, it could have more power. It maintains high heat consistently, although it might take a little bit to warm up.
However, we like how the unit is made of high-quality stainless steel, so it looks pretty nice. Moreover, the control panel is easy to use and features simple dials for the main controls.
What We Like
We like how this unit comes with a top and bottom plate, as it allows you to cook foods on both sides simultaneously, cutting down on cooking time. The many functions make it a pretty versatile small kitchen appliance.
What We Don’t Like
We don’t particularly like that this indoor grill has only 300 watts of power, which is admittedly weak. This means that it can take some time to get to full heat.
Pros
- Durable
- Sleek
- Compact
- Spacious cooking area
- Nonstick grill and griddle plates
- Variety of functions
- User-friendly controls
Cons
Could use more watts
Hamilton Beach Electric Indoor Searing Grill
This is an excellent option if you want a small, portable, affordable indoor grill.
Product Highlights
This model measures 12.4 by 16.7 by 6.8 inches, easily able to fit in any kitchen cupboard, countertop, or deep drawer.
The cooking area is not massive, but it should be enough to cook for a couple of people at once. The cooking area is roughly 118 square inches.
The grill plate is nonstick, so food won’t stick to it, which helps make cooking easier, and helps make cleanup time easier. It also means you don’t need to use any oil for cooking.
At the same time, this grill grate is dishwasher safe. The grease tray catches excess drippings and is easy to empty and dishwasher safe. This model can sear meat and other foods up to 450° Fahrenheit.
It has a powerful heating element that heats up quickly, although, at times, it may have trouble maintaining high temperatures, especially if you open the lid. However, if you keep the top closed, it should be able to hold in the heat quite well. A viewing window lets you see what’s going on inside the grill.
What We Like
We like that this indoor grill is extremely small and compact. It’s the kind of thing that would be perfect for a small apartment. Moreover, it comes at a reasonable price.
What We Don’t Like
We don’t like that the unit as a whole doesn’t seem to be built durably. It’s the kind of thing that might only last for a couple of years.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Easy to clean
- Small and compact
- Affordable
- Can achieve high heat
- Lid with viewing window
Cons
- May have trouble maintaining heat
- Not the most durable
DeLonghi BGR50 De’Longhi Reversible Grill/Griddle
While this two-in-one griddle and grill might look simple and unassuming, it works very well and has features worth noting.
Product Highlights
This relatively small indoor grill measures 13 by 19.7 by 4.3 inches. Therefore, it can easily fit on any small countertop and cupboard. The cooking area is somewhat limited, although it should still be enough to cook for two or three people at once. It weighs under 10 pounds, so you could also consider it portable.
This indoor grill has a reversible grill and griddle plate. One side features a grill grate, and the other is an entirely flat griddle grate. You can cook a wide variety of foods on these dual cooking surfaces.
The plates are dishwasher-safe and easy to clean. Moreover, they are nonstick, so you don’t need any oil to cook, and they shouldn’t get that dirty to begin with. There is a small grease tray that you can empty, which is also dishwasher safe.
Using the simple onboard controls, you can power this unit to up to 400° Fahrenheit. It might not be hot enough to fully sear a steak like over a real open flame, but it comes close. That said, it could get just a little hotter. We like the simple temperature dialer and that it has a keep-warm function.
What We Like
We like how this is an extremely simple indoor grill. It comes with a control dial and a cooking surface, and that’s about it.
What We Don’t Like
We don’t like how this indoor grill can only reach 400° Fahrenheit. It’s not as hot as we would like, especially regarding searing red meat.
Pros
- Simple design
- Very durable
- Reversible grill and griddle plate
- Nonstick
- Dishwasher safe
- Grease tray included
Cons
Can only go up to 400° degrees
Ninja AG301 Foodi 5-in-1 Indoor Grill
This is one of the most multifunctional and functional indoor grills that can cook food in many ways.
Product Highlights
This is an indoor grill and air fryer; it can also roast, bake, and dehydrate. It is essentially just an air fryer, although it can grill your food with direct contact.
The heating elements can heat the grill grate to sear meat like a standard grill. However, this unit also uses cyclonic grilling technology, i.e., convection baking, to perfectly cook food while searing it. This is how it works as an oven and an air fryer.
In addition, this indoor grill comes with the same amount of BTU cooking power as an outdoor grill. Therefore, it can heat very quickly and maintain consistent heat up to 500° Fahrenheit.
The unit is fairly compact, measuring 14.9 by 14.9 by 11.02 inches. It is large enough to fit 4 small stakes. However, the interior cooking area is limited, so you won’t be able to cook much food at once.
The interior basket is nonstick, plus it’s dishwasher-safe. The grill grate is free of any harmful chemicals or substances. On a side note, this unit can also defrost food.
What We Like
We like how this one small unit can perform so many functions, all for quite a reasonable price. It’s a versatile indoor grill that enables you to cook many foods differently.
What We Don’t Like
When you want to sear or grill meat, the results aren’t exactly the same as with an open flame.
Pros
- Durable design
- Very compact
- Easy to use
- 5 different functions
- High power
- Heats fast and evenly
- Dishwasher safe components
Cons
Tenda to overcook meat
Hamilton Beach 3-in-1 Electric Indoor Grill
This combination grill and griddle enables you to cook various foods for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It comes reasonably priced, all things considered.
Product Highlights
This indoor grill has a 180-square-inch cooking surface, so you can cook for at least four people simultaneously. However, it’s not the most compact indoor grill, measuring12.51 by 23 by 6.71 inches.
But it is a three-in-one unit: You can use it as a full grill, full griddle, or half grill and half griddle. You get two sides, both of which have reversible grill and griddle plates. Therefore, you can use one side as a grill, one side as a griddle, both sides as a grill, or both sides as a griddle.
In addition, both sides feature independent cooking zones, which means you can independently adjust the heat for each. The unit has 1400 watts of power, so it can easily get up to full heat very quickly and maintain consistent heat.
The grill and griddle grates are nonstick, so you don’t need additional oil to cook. At the same time, this also makes cleanup time easier, which is also true thanks to the fact that the grill grates are dishwasher safe. The drip tray catches all excess grease and drippings, which helps make your food healthier and cleanup easier.
What We Like
We like how this indoor grill allows you to choose between using a grill, griddle, or both at once. It’s a very versatile indoor grill.
What We Don’t Like
What we don’t like is that this indoor grill is quite large, so if you don’t have much counter space, you might have trouble storing it.
Pros
- Spacious cooking area
- Independent sides
- Multifunction grill and griddle
- Plenty of power for fast and consistent heat
- Very easy to clean
- Durable design
Cons
It might take up too much kitchen space
Power XL Smokeless Electric Indoor Grill
Next is a relatively compact and powerful combination grill and griddle. It is reasonably priced yet has some outstanding features.
Product Highlights
This unit measures 21 by 15.4 by 8.1 inches, so it is not as small as other grills on our list. It has a 13.75 by 8-inch cooking area, which should be enough to cook for around two to three people at once.
Moreover, this is both a grill and a griddle. It has grill and griddle plates, which are easy to remove and change. Both plates have nonstick materials, so you don’t need additional cooking oil.
This also means your food won’t stick, which also helps make cleanup easier. Moreover, both the grill and grill plates are dishwasher safe.
There is a grease tray to catch excess drippings; it is also easy to remove and clean, as it is dishwasher safe. This grill has a see-through lid, which helps keep the heat in, while allowing you to see what’s going on.
Using the simple temperature control dial, you can set this indoor grill to 450° Fahrenheit. In addition, there’s a timer, so you don’t forget your food. This is a smokeless grill with a fan to suck away the smoke.
What We Like
One thing we like about this grill is the transparent lid that lets you see inside while keeping the heat in. We also like the fan, which sucks away the smoke.
What We Don’t Like
We don’t like that the cooking area size is relatively small compared to the size of the overall grill; there’s a lot of wasted space.
Pros
- Heats fast and evenly
- Grill and griddle functions
- Precise temperature control
- Durable design
- Dishwasher safe components
- Affordable price
Cons
Small cooking area when compared to the overall size of the grill
DASH Mini Maker Portable Grill Machine
This is an excellent option if you want a compact, portable grill to cook for one person.
Product Highlights
This is by far the smallest and most compact indoor grill on our list. It weighs several pounds and is extremely small, with a 4” cooking surface.
It can fit a single burger, a single piece of pineapple, or anything else of the size, but you’re not going to be cooking full meals on it. However, for its small size, it features an impressive 350-Watt power rating, so it does heat up quickly and can maintain consistent heat.
Moreover, it has a bottom and a top grilling plate, so it will cook your food from both sides at once, cutting cooking time in half. Moreover, because it has a lid, it also serves as a waffle maker and a Panini press, not just a grill.
However, there is no temperature control. You simply plug the unit in and turn it on, and that’s it. It’s great for a small kitchen if you need to cook a small meal.
The grilling surfaces are nonstick, so you don’t need additional oil, and food won’t stick. At the same time, the grill grates are removable, so you can put them in the dishwasher for easy cleaning.
What We Like
We like this little indoor grill because of its size. It fits in very small spaces, doesn’t require much maintenance or cleaning, and is simple.
What We Don’t Like
We don’t like that this indoor grill is so small that cooking, even for one person, might be challenging.
Pros
- Affordable
- Very small and compact
- Convenient
- Very easy to use
- Easy to clean
- Heats fast
Cons
- Too small for most purposes
- No temperature control
Buyer’s Guide
Before we call it a day, let’s provide tips on choosing the best small indoor grill.
Capacity
Although we are talking about small indoor grills, you still want to consider the unit’s capacity. As you can see, we have covered grills with as little as four square inches of cooking area, with others having as much as 240 square inches. Consider how many people you will be cooking for. There’s no point in going for something too small to accommodate the number of people you need to cook for.
Power
You should also consider the power level of the indoor grill. Generally, if you cook something decently sized, you want at least 1000 to 1500 watts. The more watts of power the grill has, the faster it gets up to temperature, and the better it will be able to maintain high temperatures. You don’t want something that doesn’t get hot enough or doesn’t have enough power because it won’t cook meat properly.
Grease Drip System
Any indoor grill should have a grease drip system. This will allow grease to drain away from your food, making it healthier. It also helps make cleanup easier because all the grease goes into one place.
Removable Plates
You also want to look for an indoor grill with removable plates. Being able to remove the grill plates makes cleanup easier. Even better is if the grill plates are dishwasher safe, so you don’t have to do any work. On a side note, always look for nonstick plates.
Price
Of course, the price is going to make a difference. Remember that you often get what you pay for, so investing a little extra is recommended if you are looking for good results.
FAQ
Do you need a grill brush to clean an indoor grill?
No, you don’t want to use a brush to clean an indoor grill. Grill brushes are designed for steel or other materials, whereas indoor grills have nonstick plates that will be destroyed if you use a grill brush.
Are cooking times different on indoor grills?
It might take a little longer to cook food on an indoor grill than on an outdoor grill because they usually don’t get quite as hot.
How can you get the smoke flavor on an electric grill?
Recreating that smoke flavor, you get from an open flame is nearly impossible with an indoor grill, although we suppose you could try using some liquid smoke in your seasoning.
Are smokeless indoor grills completely smokeless?
Although they eliminate well over 90% of the smoke, Smokeless indoor grills may still be small amounts emitted into your home.
How many hours can I keep my smokeless indoor grill on?
You don’t want to keep these units on for more than about an hour at a time. They will get too hot and might damage sensitive components.
Conclusion
We think the Cuisinart GR-300WSP1 Elite Griddler is the best unit on our list. Comparatively speaking, it has some really great features for a reasonable price.